Bhagavan Buddha kept silent, refusing to answer questions on the ultimate, which is emptiness.+

Bhagavan Buddha: ~ “There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth: not going all the way... and not starting.

Dalai Lama said: ~ Buddhism need not be the best religion though it is most scientific and religion and inquisitive. But Buddhism has no answer to certain questions like the existence of Atama (Soul) and rebirth. Dali Lama said that as an individual he believes in rebirth as he had come across a few cases of rebirth. Modern science, Dalai Lama hoped would unearth the mystery behind the rebirth. (In DH –dec-212009-Gulburga).

Bhagavan Buddha meant when he said the Self, did not exist, that the physical self alone did not exist.

Atman: real self. (Soul)

Jiva: physical self. (ego)

Bhagavan Buddha said emptiness. Emptiness means the nature of the Soul, the fullness of consciousness without the form, time, and space.

Bhagavan Buddha referred to emptiness as "where thinking fails to attain", where words fail. All that you can say is there are “No two". That is Advaita.

Sunyavadins (Buddhists) say that Buddha taught void, and because Bhagavan Buddha went through Idealism, he is called an Idealist. Not so. Bhagavan Buddha cannot be pinned down Bhagavan Buddha. Bhagavan Buddha himself does not commit himself but says it is beyond words.

Bhagavan Buddha kept silent, refusing to answer questions on the ultimate, which is emptiness. Therefore, he was the wisest man in refusing to commit himself, because, in emptiness, there is no one to express. Silence is the nature of the emptiness, which is the ultimate truth.

Even Buddhism is mixed up with regional culture and traditions of the local religion, wherever it existed. Thus to get the full essence of Buddhism is very difficult.

Dali Lama: ~ “If the scientific analysis were conclusively to demonstrate certain claims in Buddhism to be false, then we must accept the findings of science and abandon those claims.

Buddhism has not proved the truth of Nonduality. Bhagavan Buddha pointed out the unreality of the world, and we agree. He told people they were foolish to cling to it. But he stopped there. He came nearest to Vedanta in speech but not to Vedanta fully.

Buddhism: ~ Buddhist teaching has itself become a kind of interactive and Self-evolving process, much like its idea of pratityasamutpada. However, the end goal is still Nirvana, which is an experience ultimately beyond all concepts and language, even beyond the Buddhist teachings. In the end, even the attachment to the Dharma, the Buddhist teaching, must be dropped like all other attachments. The tradition compares the teaching to a raft upon which one crosses a swift river to get to the other side; once one is on the far shore; there is no longer any need to carry the raft. The far shore is Nirvana, and it is also said that when one arrives, one can see quite clearly that there was never any river at all.

Buddhist Sunyavada is incongruous because every thought has its opposite every word is tied to its coordinate for all thought and speech can only operate under such dualism. Hence, taking the most fundamental word, existence its implied opposite non-existence is also there, and vice versa. Therefore, the Sunya "non-entity" is meaningless without "entity". Both are there.

Buddhist Idealism speaks only of ideas.

What about the knower of these ideas?

Buddhist Nihilism does not ask, "What is meant by Nihilism?

It is a thought. There must be a thinker of this thought.

When you say "Nothing is" what is the meaning of "is"? "Sunya" is something that exists: you cannot prove that consciousness does not exist. Has the Void a meaning? If so then it is only your imagination.

Bhagavan Buddha said: ~” Believe nothing just because a so-called wise person said it. Believe nothing just because a belief is generally held. Believe nothing just because it is said in ancient books. Believe nothing just because it is said to be of divine origin. Believe nothing just because someone else believes it. Believe only what you, yourself test and judge to be true.

Even Buddhism is mixed up with regional culture and traditions of the local religion, wherever it existed. Thus to get the full essence of Buddhism is very difficult.

Buddhism and its relationship with Science is like that of water and wine, one cannot say there is no water in wine, but when you drink it, it would not be the water but wine... thus Einstein’s view is water in the wine because modern science does not believe in the matter but in this religion, everything is the matter only"

Dalai Lama: ~ “If the scientific analysis were conclusively to demonstrate certain claims in Buddhism to be false, then we must accept the findings of science and abandon those claims.

Thoughtless awareness comes only when there is oneness in awareness in the midst of dualistic illusion. The dualistic illusion exists as a reality until the ignorance is there. Ignorance will vanish only when the non-dualistic or Advaitic wisdom dawns. The wisdom dawns only when one becomes aware of the fact that the world in which you exist is a dualistic illusion created out of a single stuff that is consciousness.

Thus, realizing consciousness alone is and all three states are merely an illusion created out of consciousness leads to non-dual Self-awareness.

Buddhist Sunyavada is incongruous because every thought has its opposite every word is tied to its coordinate for all thought and speech can only operate under such dualism. Hence, taking the most fundamental word, existence its implied opposite non-existence is also there, and vice versa. Therefore, the Sunya "non-entity" is meaningless without "entity". Both are there.

Buddhist Idealism speaks only of ideas.

What about the knower of these ideas?

Buddhist Nihilism does not ask, "What is meant by Nihilism?

It is a thought. There must be a thinker of this thought.

Zen is quite OK in mentioning non-duality: it is the nearest to Advaita, but it is still inferior because

(1) It fails to prove non-duality,

(2) It illogically gives ‘Koan’ exercises as a means of attaining that which is beyond attainment, because always here

(3) It talks of insight or intuition to see Reality when sight involves a second thing, duality.

When you say "Nothing is" what is the meaning of "is"? "Sunya" is something that exists: you cannot prove that consciousness does not exist.

Zen Buddhism gives a high important place for meditation practice. The truth is that Zen advocates the necessity of meditation for those of its adherents who cannot grasp the absolute truth.

Zen Buddhism is also on this lower stage of Yoga because it depends on flashes of Intuition gained by meditation, not by reasoning.

Has the Void a meaning? If so then it is only your imagination.

Bhagavan Buddha gave up yoga after practicing it for six years. He saw it could not yield truth.

Bhagavan Buddha gave up his austerities of yoga as impossible and useless. (Page.70/71 "Buddhism in Translation” by Warren)

Bhagavan Buddha got enlightenment only after he gave up Yoga. Unless you exercise your Buddhi--reason--there is no chance of getting the truth, which is beyond the form, time, and space. Buddhism is based on the form alone, and it does not include time and space in its investigation.

Buddhism has not proved the truth of Nonduality. Bhagavan Buddha pointed out the unreality of the world. He told people they were foolish to cling to it. But he stopped there. He came nearest to Advaita in speech but not to Advaita fully.

Zen Buddhism Satori is not Advaitic wisdom because it comes as flashes, it does not depend on seeing the world and does not depend upon mental sharpness so much as intuition.

Zen Buddhists are only mystics ~ they do not offer proof. How is their main method different from that of Christian mystics, and Hindu mystics, all of whom do not seek to prove by reason, but by "I know," intuition? : ~ Santthosh Kumaar